House of Commons Hansard #22 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was children.
The Speaker
As is our practice on Wednesday we will now sing O Canada, and we will be led by the hon. member for Perth—Middlesex.
Karen Redman Liberal Kitchener Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, this week in Ottawa, as part of the International Co-operation Days, the Canadian International Development Agency is meeting with over 1,200 representatives from all sectors involved in international development.
The meetings will enable the minister responsible to outline her priorities and to hear from Canadians and overseas partners about their work in Africa, Latin America and Asia.
Through CIDA and its partners, Canadians can be proud of our contribution to creating a more secure and prosperous world for us all.
In my riding of Kitchener Centre, organizations such as the Mennonite Central Committee have worked with CIDA and have been able to assist individuals who are in need and living in devastated areas such as Kosovo.
I am pleased to represent a community that has a long and distinguished tradition of helping the citizens in the world in times of crisis.
In the Speech from the Throne, the government indicated that we will do more. For example, CIDA will support programs that educate young girls in Africa, assist women in Asia to start—
Gurmant Grewal Reform Surrey Central, BC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, five self-proclaimed skinheads, convicted in the murder of Sikh Temple caretaker Nirmal Singh Gill, were given prison sentences of 15 to 18 years.
These prison terms were already reduced by three years and will probably be further reduced in the Liberal's soft criminal justice system. Life should mean life, but criminal penalties are routinely watered down.
Canadians want tougher penalties for violent crime. Racism has no place in our society. Our diversity is our strength and a valuable asset.
The people of Surrey have shown tolerance throughout this entire episode. We can also commend our local community leaders for keeping things calm. Our media treated this matter fairly.
Finally, we can commend the work of our RCMP despite limited resources for successfully bringing this matter to justice.
Peter Adams Liberal Peterborough, ON
Mr. Speaker, I commend the Minister of Labour for her efforts to come to grips with the diverse problems of homelessness. I commend the government for its support of regional forums and research projects designed to identify the real local problems in places like Toronto and Peterborough. The federal government must get a good handle on these matters across the nation before allocating resources.
The time has now come to act. In provinces like Ontario there is no one but the federal government that can make a real impact on homelessness. Where provincial governments are not willing, we must work directly with municipal governments and NGOs to make real changes. Federal resources and know how, in partnership with local groups, can make a huge difference.
Let us act now to help the homeless and those in fear of becoming homeless.
Guy St-Julien Liberal Abitibi, QC
Mr. Speaker, Team Canada 1972 is the Canadian team of the century according to a Canadian Press poll.
Several generations of Canadians have indelible memories of that day in Moscow. The Canadian hockey team, with the passionate support of an entire nation, emerged as champions of the series of the century, as the result of a last-minute 6-5 win over the Soviet Union's elite team.
At the 19 minutes 26 seconds mark in the third period of the eighth game in Moscow, a goal by Paul Henderson carried Canada to victory.
In picking his team, coach Harry Sinden chose a group that would end up in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Thank you, Yvan Cournoyer, Rodrigue Gilbert, Guy Lapointe, Gilbert Perreault, Jean Ratelle, Ken Dryden, Brad Park, Stan Mikita, Phil Esposito, Frank Mahovlich and Serge Savard.
Howard Hilstrom Reform Selkirk—Interlake, MB
Mr. Speaker, the government is failing farmers and misleading Canadians.
It is failing farm families on the edge of bankruptcy. Farms that have been in families for generations will soon belong to the bank.
The government's AIDA program is not delivering. Only 28% of prairie farmers who have applied for AIDA have received a cheque. What about the other 72%? What kind of Christmas will those families have?
The government is not content with ignoring farmers. It is also trying to mislead Canadians into believing that there is no problem on the farm.
The Prime Minister claims that he has given farmers $1.5 billion through the AIDA program. This is just not true. Only 15% of the AIDA money has been delivered.
When the Prime Minister is faced with premiers from western Canada, he invents new statistics to hide the crisis. Why can he not fix the problem instead of trying to sweep farmers under the rug?
It is clear that the Liberals do not care about the farm income crisis and farm families will be left out in the cold this winter.
Yvon Charbonneau Liberal Anjou—Rivière-Des-Prairies, QC
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to call to the attention of the House that November is more or less health month.
November is osteoporosis month, Crohn's and colitis awareness month, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation awareness month, and diabetes month.
What is more, November 15 to 21 is national addiction awareness week, and the week of the 22nd to the 29th is national AIDS awareness week.
I would like to propose to the members of this House that they join with me in paying tribute to the staff and volunteers involved in health-related endeavours during this month of November and throughout the year.
René Canuel Bloc Matapédia—Matane, QC
Mr. Speaker, the agreement between the States and Canada on lumber limits increases in exports by the four provinces it covers.
The agreement expires on March 31, 2001, and the federal government will have to define its position in the coming months. It must support the Conseil pour le libre-échange pour le bois d'oeuvre and demand the restoration of free trade for lumber.
For the good of the regions whose economy relies on forestry, the federal government has no choice but to inform the U.S. government that it wants a return to free trade.
The Bloc Quebecois supports the Quebec lumber manufacturers association and the Conseil pour le libre-échange pour le bois d'oeuvre so the industry in Quebec may be given back the opportunity to assume its rightful place in the North American lumber market.
Hec Clouthier Liberal Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Mr. Speaker, as we all know, health care is of primary importance to all Canadians. It certainly behooves the health sector to have a strong vibrant leadership.
In my great riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, we are saying goodbye to an ardent, accomplished, admirable administrator. The departure of Sheila Schultz as chief administrative officer for the Pembroke General Hospital is bittersweet. My riding has lost a person who is a paragon of proficiency in the field of health care. But the community gained immeasurably because with Sheila Schultz at the helm, all patients at the hospital could rest assured that compassionate care was rendered and delivered by her capable team.
It may interest members to know that my colleague the member for Leeds—Grenville was born at the General Hospital.
Of course, Sheila Schultz, in her own modest manner, would say that she had a great teacher in the previous administrator, Sister St. Mark, who taught her everything she knew.
I congratulate Sheila and wish her a happy retirement and good health for years to come.
Dave Chatters Reform Athabasca, AB
Mr. Speaker, perhaps it is time the Prime Minister needs takes a reality check. He is forging ahead with his swords into ploughshares plutonium test burn program despite the fact that Canadians do not want to be involved.
Communities along the test route, such as Windsor, Sarnia, Cornwall, Sudbury, Thessalon and Nepean, have all condemned the plutonium shipment. Neither the province of Ontario nor Ontario Hydro wants any part of the plan. Mohawk leaders have made it clear that the shipment of plutonium will not occur on their land. The United States has pulled out and instead has chosen to burn plutonium at home. Even the Liberal dominated foreign affairs committee recommended against the plan.
If the federal government does forge ahead, ignoring almost unanimous opposition to the program, it will not eliminate one nuclear warhead. What we are talking about here is surplus plutonium not the dismantling of nuclear warheads.
The fire has gone out of this test burn scheme and it is time the Prime Minister worked up the moxy to cancel the MOx plan.
Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC
Mr. Speaker, filmmaker Pierre Perrault, who passed away last June, was paid posthumous tribute yesterday for his writing talents with the unveiling of the governor general's awards for literature.
His book, Le mal du nord , describing his trip on the icebreaker Pierre Radisson , was honoured in the studies and essays category.
Yolande Simard, the widow of Pierre Perrault, in accepting the award, stressed the vital importance of literacy. She decided to share her prize with the Montreal and Hull literacy centres.
Pierre Perrault had already won the governor general's award on two other occasions, in 1964, for theatre, and in 1975, for poetry.
I would like to congratulate all winners of these awards recognizing or rather honouring their work, which will influence generations to come.
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
Mr. Speaker, today hundreds of people returned to Parliament Hill calling for immediate action to deal with poverty and homelessness. Is pepper spray the government's only response?
We are facing another winter of misery, hopelessness, sickness and death, but the federal government refuses to recognize housing as a human right.
Blame lies with the Liberal government for abandoning social housing. Blame lies with the Liberal government for passing the buck and abandoning its own promises made in 1999 to build affordable housing.
Right across the country, people are fighting for basic rights for housing, shelter and a living income. We say shame on the federal government for ignoring the plight of the most vulnerable people in our society. Shame on the federal government for stalling, delaying, shuffling and ignoring this critical issue.
The federal NDP has joined the campaign for 1% for housing and a national housing strategy. We will keep up our struggle in solidarity with homeless people and all Canadians in need of adequate housing until the injustice of homelessness is ended.
Pierre De Savoye Bloc Portneuf, QC
Mr. Speaker, a magnificent booklet entitled Canadians on the Hill: a continuing tradition published recently by the inaptly named National Capital Commission is curiously silent about historic events and politicians of the last three decades.
In this publication, history comes to a dead stop in 1967. There is therefore no mention of the official signing ceremony marking the much-hated patriation of the Constitution in 1982. Through omission, this booklet rewrites history.
However, members will recall seeing the Queen, Mr. Trudeau and the current Prime Minister at this distressing historic signing ceremony.
Now, the incriminating event has simply been swept under the carpet. In fact, if we are to believe this booklet, since 1967 Parliament Hill has been little more than a festival venue and sightseeing attraction.
Quite some propaganda to gloss over the risks, and the lessons of the past with respect to the Canadian federal system.
Mark Muise Progressive Conservative West Nova, NS
Mr. Speaker, this morning the supreme court dismissed the motion by the West Nova Fishermen's Coalition asking the court to rehear the September 17 ruling in the Donald Marshall Jr. case.
Despite this ruling, the court finally provided clarification on the extent by which natives can exercise their rights to fishing, hunting and gathering.
The court makes it clear that the Marshall ruling does not provide natives with access to logging or mineral rights as was suggested by the federal Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.
The West Nova Fishermen's Coalition deserves a lot of credit for asking the supreme court for clarification on this issue. It is shameful as to why the federal government did not take it upon itself to seek its own clarification.
We knew that the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans had failed to protect the east coast fishery, however, now we discovered that the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development has been acting upon his own personal interpretation of the Marshall ruling, one that today's supreme court decision has said is totally wrong.
Canadians have lost faith in these two ministers and it is for this reason that we ask for their immediate resignations.
Mac Harb Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, November 22 marks the independence day of Lebanon.
On behalf of my colleagues, I call on his Excellency Dr. Assem Jaber, the Lebanese Ambassador to Canada and Minister Issam Naaman to communicate to the people of Lebanon our warmest congratulations.
It is our hope that the year 2000 will bring for the people of Lebanon law and order, prosperity, happiness, full independence and territorial integrity and a comprehensive, complete and lasting peace.
Long live the friendship that exists between Canada and Lebanon.
Jacques Saada Liberal Brossard—La Prairie, QC
Mr. Speaker, this week, the Correctional Service of Canada and communities throughout the country are celebrating Restorative Justice Week.
Restorative justice focuses on victims, the accountability of offenders, and the involvement of citizens in creating healthier, safer communities.
This year, the Correctional Service of Canada established the Restorative Justice Award in memory of Ron Wiebe, most recently the warden of the Elbow Lake and Ferndale correctional institutions. Mr. Wiebe passed away in July after a tough battle with cancer.
Yesterday, at Ferndale Institution, CSC Commissioner Ole Ingstrup presented the first Ron Wiebe restorative justice award.
The first award went to the Church Council on Justice and Corrections, which is celebrating 25 years of educating and advocating for restorative justice. The second is being awarded posthumously to Eleanor Brown, a senior citizen volunteer who was very involved in this field.
I urge all members to join with me in congratulating the recipients of the first Ron Wiebe award for restorative justice.
Presence In GalleryStatements By Members
The Speaker
We have a number of distinguished guests today and I wish to introduce two of them at this time.
I draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in our gallery of His Excellence Dr. Issam Naaman, Minister of Post and Telecommunications of Lebanon.
I also draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in our gallery of the Honourable Glenn Hagel, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Skills Training of the province of Saskatchewan.
Deborah Grey Reform Edmonton North, AB
Mr. Speaker, it is time to play who wants to be a millionaire, and our contestant today is the human resources development minister who knows how to play.
She used the transitional jobs fund minister's reserve to drop half a million dollars in her own riding. The fund of course is supposed to be used for areas with at least 12% unemployment and hers had only 6.5%.
Here is the question for our contestant: Why did the human resources minister break the rules? She does not need briefing notes for that.
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, indeed the departmental resources are there for stated priorities where there are not funds available.
We have used those for a number of priorities such as youth services projects in British Columbia and in the riding of West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, the riding of a Reform member, for the west coast railway heritage project.
These funds are there to focus in areas of high unemployment, or where we need a focus on youth services, to ensure that the programming is there for Canadians.
Deborah Grey Reform Edmonton North, AB
Mr. Speaker, perhaps she has her funds mixed up. I do not think that is the case. The minister seems to have trouble grasping the format here.
We asked a question. She is supposed to answer with an answer. Maybe she would like to, on this one, call a friend or ask the audience.
Here is the question. The transitional jobs fund minister's reserve is (a) a multimillion dollar ministerial slush fund, (b) a way for ministers to get around the rules, (c) a way for ministers to scratch each other's backs, or (d) a special brand of cognac. Which would it be?
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, the transitional jobs fund was there for areas of high unemployment, to help get Canadians back to work.
In my own riding there were real challenges. If the hon. member would like to look at it, the region of Brantford was decimated by the closure of plants like White Farms and Massey Ferguson. We had an unemployment level that was extraordinarily high and not coming down.
As is the case in all regions where the transitional jobs fund has been used, Canadians are working. The unemployment levels are coming down, and the government is working with communities together to make sure that this happens.
EmploymentOral Question Period
The Speaker
Order, please. I know we all want to hear both the questions and the answers today.